He Loves Me He Loves Me Not
by flanigan8
Summary: Set just after iCountrycide/i episode of iTorchwood/. Ianto knows how he feels but does Jack feel the same…
1. Chapter 1

**bTitle:** **/b**He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

**bAuthor: /b**Flanigan8

**bPairings: /b** Jack/Ianto

**bWarnings: /b** None

**bStatus: /b** Complete but if there is interest I might continue

**bSummary: /b** Set just after i_Countrycide/i_ episode of i_Torchwood/_. Ianto knows how he feels but does Jack feel the same…

**bWord Count: /b **593

**bA/N: /b** This is my very first fan fiction; yep I have popped that cherry. So please comment and give feedback .Enjoy!

**bDisclaimer: /b** Alas characters not mine but a girl can dream...right?

Jack sat at his desk, a bottle of whisky in one hand and an empty glass in the other, though he wasn't intending for it to stay that way for long.

"Care to make that two, sir?"

He was so lost in his own thoughts that Jack didn't notice Ianto standing in the door way.

"You should be at home sleeping" Jack didn't raise his eyes from the empty glass as he spoke.

"The images sir, can't shake them…just easier to be awake."

It was at those words that Jack finally looked at Ianto. Even in the dim lighting the bruises and cuts were visible, though Jack knew the pain in Ianto eyes wasn't because of his injuries.

"Still doesn't explain why you are awake_ ihere,/i_" Jack said bluntly his exhaustion evident in his voice.

"Well for one there is no whisky at my house" A slight smirk came across Ianto's face which faded quickly when Jack didn't respond. "I thought I was going to die back there. You know what I kept thinking?" He stepped into Jacks office as he spoke.

"Lisa" Jack spoke with resentment but was too tired to care.

"No sir all I could think about was you. Not being with you, it scared me" Ianto stepped in front of Jacks desk and the tears that welled in his eyes glistened in the light of the small lamp.

It was like a car crash, it was horrible and sad but Jack couldn't tear his eyes away.

The two men stared at each other for what seemed like hours until finally Jack spoke.

"Ianto Jones, don't fall in love with me…trust me it's not worth it" Jack looked down into to his still empty glass, which he had hoped would have magically refilled with whisky by now. Ianto pushed Jacks chin up until their eyes met once more.

"Too late" He said simply before leaning in and kissing Jack softy. He pulled away searching Jack's face for some evidence that he felt the same; Jack didn't need to say it, Ianto just wanted a sign…something...anything. Though as always Captain Jack Harkness showed nothing; Ianto hated that about him but at the same time he knew it was part of the appeal.

Jack had no words. He was definitely not drunk enough to admit anything to Ianto, let alone himself. Instead he pulled away from Ianto's grip and started to descend the ladder to his quarters stopping half down only to say over his shoulder that Ianto could have the couch if he wanted. He couldn't face this tonight too much had happened. He didn't want to lose Ianto he knew that, but was it love? No Jack really didn't want to love anyone ever again because it hurt too much; he had enough pain so he closed himself off and didn't let anyone in, except one person was slowly wriggling his way under the locked door…Ianto Jones.


	2. Chapter 2

**bTitle:** **/b**He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not – The Morning After

**bAuthor: /b**Flanigan8

**bPairings: /b** Jack/Ianto

**bWarnings: /b** None

**bStatus: /b** Complete but if there is interest I might continue

**bSummary: /b** Set just after i_Countrycide/i_ episode of i_Torchwood/_. Ianto knows how he feels but does Jack feel the same…

**bWord Count: /b **1,632

**bA/N: /b** This is my very first fan fiction; yep I have popped that cherry. So please comment and give feedback. Enjoy! On to Chapter two

**bDisclaimer: /b** Alas characters not mine but a girl can dream...right?

Jack had lied in his bed for the past four hours staring at the ceiling. He didn't want to face Ianto until he had to. It was seven o'clock in the morning and he was sure the crying that drifted from the hub had stopped; Ianto had finally passed out.

Jack made his way up the ladder still in the blood stained clothes from the day before. As he headed out of the office the battered body of one Mr. Jones came into view, the damage was even worse in the strong lights of the hub. He approached Ianto as quietly as possible so as not to wake him, though with the evident empty bottle of whisky in one hand of the spread eagled body on the couch, he didn't think that would be an issue. Jack made a note to take that out of Ianto's pay. Slowly and with care he released Ianto's grip on the bottle and set it on the ground. Ianto stirred a little moving into the fetal position. It was like an unconscious statement showing Jack his vulnerability. Jack grabbed a rag from the couch which he thought must have been a rug at one point in its life and tucked in the whisky ridden body beneath him. He couldn't help but think that he was at fault for everything that Ianto was going through.

Jack's thoughts were interrupted at the appearance of Owen who didn't know the meaning of the word quite.

" 'Ello.'Ello. What we got here? You boys had a big night then…comforting each other and all that ah?" Owen nudged his very unimpressed boss in the shoulder. Upon realizing the, don't go there look on Jacks face, Owen stuffed the rest of his baggle in his mouth and made a hasty exit towards the autopsy table. Next to arrive was Tosh without a word. She had been given the day off but Jack got the impression she felt safer here. Finally Gwen walked through the door looking a little worse for wear, she too had been given the day of but she was stubborn and it was no surprise to Jack that she had arrived. As Gwen made to slip past Jack towards the autopsy area Jack griped her arm and whispered in her ear "Don't let it slip". She gave him a faint smile and continued on her path.

Jack picked up the empty whisky bottle and headed to the bin, he didn't want to worsen Ianto's mood by having him wake up to a messy hub. As he dropped the bottle with a non- intentional thud into the garbage, Jack couldn't help but think how much he wished he had some whisky left for the pep talk he would inedibility have to give his team. Hell a coffee would do but he was reluctant to wake Ianto mostly because he dreaded the nagging question Ianto was bound to ask, not so much in words but with those beautiful blue eyes. Jack found himself once again distracted by his own thoughts, that had to stop he mused as he raced to the scene unfolding at the couch.

"This is my best ssuit yous prick" A slurring unsteady Ianto was yelling at a very smug Owen.

"Come on Tea- Boy it was just a bit of fun" Owen said as he stepped away from the incoming drunk.

It was at this point that Jack stepped in "Ok what is going on here!" He directed his question at Owen knowing full well he was behind it.

"This sad excuse for a human being just poured crap all down my suit, sir" A surprisingly less slurring but still unsteady Ianto replied all the while pointing at what Jack could only assume he thought was Owen.

"It's just water you big girl's blouse, it wasn't like you weren't already covered in stale whisky!"

"That's not the point!" Ianto retorted still pointing at the wall.

"Ok Enough, Owen why don't you and Gwen go and get some breakfast for us all" Owen opened his mouth to protest but retreated when Jack shot him a look that the devil would shy away from. Gwen was pleased at the opportunity to leave the scene and raced to follow Owen out of the hub.

"Tosh, how about you get us some coffee?" Tosh took the hint and headed off in search for coffee.

"As for you, why don't we get you out of these wet clothes?" Jack had almost forgotten about the events from night before, he never could resist a man wet head to toe. He was however very quickly bought back to reality.

"I am capable of dressing myself thank you Captain, now if you will excuse me" Ianto pushed past Jack in the direction of the morgue.

"Ah Ianto"

"Yes sir" Ianto had turned around with a hopefully look in his eyes like a puppy in a shop window.

"Your spare suit is hanging in the tourist centre, that way" Jack could tell by the deflated look that came over Ianto it was defiantly not what he wanted to hear.

Ianto cleared his throat before speaking, forcing the tears away "Oh right thank you sir."

Jack watched him walk away in a very abstract looking straight line. Hoping for a little bit of peace before the rematch (between Owen and Ianto or Ianto and himself he wasn't sure) Jack headed to his office. He had barely started his ascension up the stairs when Tosh appeared behind him.

"I have no idea where we make the coffee, Ianto always does it" Jack gripped the railing and gritted his teeth before speaking, not even bothering to turn around.

"Tosh I don't care if you have to go to Mexico to get the beans fresh, just get me a coffee! I will be in my office." Tosh was stunned at the way the Captain spoke to her but she bit her tongue. They had all been through a lot and she had never really experienced Jack without his morning coffee. So she continued her search hoping against hope that a coffee machine would magically appear, they had seen stranger things after all.

Jack slumped in his chair and rested his head in his arms on the desk. He lifted his head at a faint chink sound, surprised to see a hot freshly brewed cup of coffee before him. He moved his attention to the person handing it over which even more surprisingly he found Ianto standing at his side. Had Jack not witnessed Ianto's drunken behavior thirty minutes earlier it would seem like any other day. Ianto, apart from his injuries that were unable to be hidden, looked better than ever with a coffee of his own.

"Freshly brewed sir. Double strength. I thought I would help Tosh out she was looking a little lost."

Jack let a smile drift across his face, something he hadn't done in what felt like days. "Thanks, you feeling better?"

"An Irish coffee sir, hair of the dog" Ianto replied raising his mug. Jack made a mental note to find out where Ianto had more whisky stashed. Jack brought his mug towards his mouth saying under his breath "I could do with that". Before he took take a slip Ianto leant in and whispered in his ear "I gave you a double shot of whisky sir, thought you could use it". The hot breath on his neck made Jack turn to met Ianto's gaze, they were nose to nose.

"Who's up for croissants then?" Owen shouted from the bottom of the stairs presenting a bag in each hand. "Sorry lads', interrupting something was I?" He sent a wink to the two aggravated men above him before following the girls to the conference room. Ianto straightened himself up took one last look at the man he had fallen so hard for before going after Owen in a very purposeful manner. Jack let out a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes before taking a large swig of his coffee, which he discovered really did have a double shot, and headed down to try pick up the pieces of his broken team. Why did they think he had all the answers? Why did they have to look up to him? They all turned to him, but who did he have to turn to? By this point he had reached the door of the conference room. Owen was already stuffing his face full of croissants, Tosh was looking disgusted and insisting he was getting crumbs on her laptop, Gwen was pushing Owen away trying not to laugh at his face full of food, and then there was Ianto " Sir, I saved you one before he got to it, Sir?". Even emotional and physically battered and bruised he was still there for Jack; to pick up his pieces. As he looked around the room he realized that the door he had kept locked for so long had been unlocked. Ianto Jones had wriggled his way in and he brought Torchwood along with him.


End file.
